I paid for my golf outing last night as my shoulders and arms were in a lot of pain. I didn’t sleep very well, but I took another naproxen and that allowed me to drift off. Long nights are never good for staying composed and with the pain some loneliness set in. I missed my ex quite a bit but I know she has moved on and with all my health concerns I am not sure I even want to meet anyone else. As I told my friend Kelly a few days ago, I was feeling “old, lonely and vulnerable” and I guess that just about sums things up. My partner had ample justification for leaving me, but that logic doesn’t help very much.
Today I woke up and after finishing my grading and posting the grades, I decided to try to ride my bike before the rain came down. I went over to the park near Trade Street and though it was pretty cold and my hands hurt, the weather held and I rode about five miles. Then I walked around to the new Mint Museum and had lunch at Halcyon, located in the Mint. The food was very good and watching the snow fall for a few minutes had a certain urban beauty to it. I decided to e-mail my ex a birthday greeting which seemed the polite thing to do.
I walked back to the Discovery Place and went to see the 1:30 Imax showing of “The Alps” and I am extremely glad I am not a mountain climber. The photography was spectacular and at a few points I almost had to grab on to my chair.
After a nap I drove to the mall near Pineville and the traffic was intense but since I was in no hurry, I waited patiently and finally got into the mall after about 20 minutes. I decided to have dinner at Red Lobster before the crowds came and had a nice meal, and watched NC lose to Texas in a really close game. After that I practiced and then went for a long walk in the mall, finishing with a small cup of coffee at Barnes and Noble and the purchase of The Count of Monte Cristo. This is a book my friend Gloria has been recommending for years and it will be perfect for the cruise.